Tell Me You'll Stay
by cosmic-divinity
Summary: Reigen has worked at the office for years with nothing really exciting happening in his life. On a rainy day, he's asked to show the new hire around the office and show them the ropes. The newbie is Katsuya Serizawa, and Reigen takes an interest in him, agreeing to take him under his wing. How will this fateful meeting change both of their lives?
1. Chapter 1

The rain poured onto the roof, almost resembling the sound of thunder. The constant downpour seemed to bring down the mood of the whole office. Reigen didn't usually mind it except the fact that he had forgotten his umbrella. Now, like the others, he was hoping it would let up, so he didn't have to make a run for the bus stop after work. However, it was getting late into the day, reaching mid afternoon, and the rain hadn't let up at all. The mood seemed to be getting more and more irritable. Reigen made the smart decision of not doing his usual playful teasings. It wasn't his fault that he tried to make working in this office more fun. Everyone here was so uptight. He doubted they'd be very fun even outside of the office which was why he usually went straight home after work.

"Reigen, can you come to my office?"

Reigen glanced up with a disinterested look at his boss. What did he do this time? Maybe it was about the prank he pulled last week, but he thought he had gotten a talking to about that already. Nonetheless, he stood up with a sigh and followed after him.

"So, am I in trouble again, boss?" he asked nonchalantly, expecting another scolding.

"What? No, no, you see, I have a new hire, and I want you to show him the ropes. He moved here from out of town and knows no one here. I think having someone show him around the office and maybe this city too would be a big help."

"And you chose me to do this? I know I've been here for a while, but really, me? I was sure you'd pick one of the more responsible people around here to take in the newbie." In a way, Reigen was rather flattered but dealing with a newbie could be a pain in the ass too. Besides, he didn't even know what this person was like.

"Well, despite everything, you're a great worker and a good people person. Maybe a promotion will be coming your way depending on how training him goes."

Reigen's ears perked up just at the word "promotion." Maybe this would be worth his time after all.

"Well, boss, why didn't you just say so? Well, of course I can do you a favor and help out the newbie."

"Great! He's waiting in my office. I put his cubicle right next to yours."

"So, you planned on putting him right by me even if I declined your little offer? Sneaky." Perhaps this rainy day was going to be more enjoyable after all. Reigen wasn't sure what to expect from this newbie, but hopefully he would make this dreary day more exciting. Maybe he wouldn't have to go straight home as he usually did. Passing through the office door, he spotted someone else in there sitting in front of the desk. He looked relatively average at least from behind, wearing a dark grey suit with short dark hair that looked to have a habit of sticking up slightly. When he saw the two enter the room, he immediately stood up with a surprised "oh." Reigen looked at him with a scrutinizing yet interested gaze. The newbie immediately bowed, and Reigen noticed a few drops of sweat that trickled from the bit of stubble along his jaw.

"Oh, you must be Mr. Reigen. I'm Katsuya Serizawa, and I'll be under your tutelage," he said in a formal manner, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow when he stood back up.

It was when he stood up that Reigen noticed he was slightly shorter than Serizawa. It was only slightly but still.

"Just 'Reigen' is fine. We'll be co-workers after all, and it's a pleasure," he said as politely as he could. The boss was right there after all. Serizawa was the typical new hire he expected: nervous, rigid, and formal. Reigen was hoping to break through that once the boss was busy. For now, he'd have to act like a responsible, experienced worker. He flashed a smile Serizawa's way. This was going to be fun.

"Well, I'll leave it to you, Reigen, to show Serizawa to his cubicle and help him get moved in."

"Oh, you can count on me, boss." Reigen gave him a thumbs up and motioned for Serizawa to follow him. The other hurriedly grabbed his box and followed after Reigen. He wore a frown as the roar of the downpour was still audible through the whole office. It was especially loud at Reigen's cubicle right by the window overlooking downtown. If he could see the sun instead of a gray void, he was sure he'd see it settling lower into the sky.

"Well, I'm guessing this is your space." He gestured to the empty cubicle next to his.

"Oh, right! Thank you again for agreeing to do this, Reigen. Sorry, I know it must be a pain to have to train the new guy. I'm new in town, so I don't really know anyone. I don't even know this city very well, so I really appreciate having someone to help me at my new job." Serizawa smiled at him when he saw him peeking over the cubicle wall.

Reigen found that the words were getting caught in his throat just at the smile taking him by surprise. It wasn't something that happened often, which both intrigued and frightened him slightly. His eyes glanced over to the three small succulents Serizawa was placing on the desk.

"So, do you like collecting plants or something?" he finally asked after regaining his composure.

"Oh, these? I just like succulents. They're easy to take care of and are great for decorating. I have more back at my apartment, and..sorry, I'm probably rambling too much. I'll unpack quickly so you can get on with my training."

"Oh, don't be so uptight, Serizawa. The day's almost over anyway. We can get on with your office training tomorrow. So, I hear you just moved here and haven't seen a lot of the city. How about I start this off by showing you around town? You know, I know some of the best bars around here," he said with a wink, amping the charm back up. He was curious to find out if Serizawa could throw him any more surprises like that smile.

"Bars? But don't we have work tomorrow?"

"Haven't you heard of casual drinking? I'm not aiming to get you drunk off your ass. We can save that for the weekends," he said with a wink and went to grab his coat. "Come on, everyone else is heading out too." Reigen looked to the window and sighed when he remembered it was pouring down rain still. "Guess we'll have to make a run for the bus stop. I just so happened to forget my umbrella today of all days."

"Oh, we can just use my umbrella," Serizawa said, grabbing his coat as well and packing his laptop into his brief case.

Reigen smirked and sent an interested glance his way. "Excellent. You know, if you stick with me, I think you're gonna go far here."


	2. Chapter 2

The rain battered down on the umbrella with a constant tap tapping like drums. The sidewalks were filled with other umbrellas or someone lacking one and attempting to run to the nearest shop or bus stop. As it was getting dark out the rain could only be seen under the streetlights. Reigen made sure to walk on to the side farthest away from the street lest they both end up getting splashed by a passing bus or truck. As much as he hated walking in the rain and getting his shoes wet, there was something calming about it. Maybe it was the constant rhythm of the drops like a numbing white noise. It was actually quite nice that Serizawa was slightly taller than him, allowing him to easily hold the umbrella over both of them. There was something oddly comforting about just walking down the street with someone even if they weren't talking, not that he'd admit that. Still, there was something sweet about how considerate Serizawa was. What was he saying? Obviously, he was only doing this out of obligation since he was a newbie. Reigen glanced to the side and up slightly to look at him. He was rather average looking, not someone he'd take a double take at on the street. Still, there was something about him..Reigen couldn't quite figure it out. If anything, it was like a kind of force. It was still early. He had plenty of time to figure this guy out. It was rainy nights like this that made him want to sit on his apartment's balcony and smoke a cigarette looking out at the lights fogged over by the rain as it made the city glimmer slightly. There would be time for that later, and he was absolutely looking forward to it. It was the perfect way to unwind after dealing with everyone at work. Serizawa was probably one of the only ones that he knew the name of. Everybody else seemed to fade into the background. He would even just call his boss "boss." Part of him could predict how this would go. He would train Serizawa, and then once he didn't need him anymore, he'd fade into the background too. For now, he'd enjoy the time they had before things went back to normal. As they were walking, his eyes spotted the usual bar he frequented. It was low key and small: a bar with only a few tables taking up the rest of the space. It could be an intimate time between two people, a casual conversation with a stranger, or time to just be alone even with how small it was. In there, one could be as close or far away from reality as they wanted to be. The bright red neon sign above the place made it stand out even in the pouring rain. As Serizawa placed the umbrella to the side by the door to let it drip dry, he courteously took Reigen's coat along with his own to hang up on the rack. Reigen went over to the bar, taking a seat at the end and reserving the other for Serizawa. Another perk of the place was that smoking was allowed in the later hours. Reigen didn't hesitate to start one up, giving a nod to the bar tender once he was noticed. The light piano music playing in the background went well with the pouring rain outside, giving the bar a cozy sort of feeling.

"Wow, this is a nice place. I bet you know a lot of small spots like this," Serizawa said, taking the seat next to Reigen.

"It's nothing special, just a bar I frequent, but thanks," he said after exhaling a puff of smoke. "So, what would you like to drink? You're the newbie, so I'll let you order first." Reigen smirked slightly at the blush on Serizawa that followed.

"Oh, I, uh, guess I'll go with a beer..whichever one you get here. I trust you have good taste," he answered with a stammer.

"Hmm, good answer. Let me think..yeah I think I know the perfect one." Reigen called the bartender over, and she soon came back with two cold cans. "Enjoy," she said with a charming smile.

"Oh, thank you!" Serizawa said back.

The two of them had a few quiet moments as they both enjoyed the beers. Reigen found himself sneaking glances over at Serizawa to make sure he was liking it. He seemed to be thankfully.

"So, Serizawa, I suppose here is the perfect casual atmosphere to get to know each other. You know, since we'll be working together. So, tell me about yourself. How was the move? How are you liking the city so far, blah, blah, that sort of stuff." When it came to talking, Reigen was beat by almost no one. He'd get this guy talking. He could tell Serizawa was hesitant, but he'd pry him open little by little. There was something else about him that he couldn't quite place. It was like a weird sort of energy none of which he had ever felt around anyone else, certainly not anyone else in the office. It was new, interesting, and different. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't be one of the ones to just fade into the background of Reigen's day to day life. That being a big maybe.

"Oh, well, I moved here a few days ago. I came from a town south of here. You see, and I won't go overly into detail, but things weren't going well for me there. I wasn't really getting along with my family, and when I thought I was being useful for something, I found out I was just being used. I only seemed to drive people away just by existing, so I thought going somewhere new where nobody knew me would be a nice change, a fresh start. It is nice to have time to myself, though it has started to get a bit lonely already. I had already secured this job before I moved here, but your, I mean, our boss gave me a few days to get settled in. He was going to give me a week or more, but I insisted that I wanted to start as soon as possible, busy myself with something meaningful. That's my story so far since that brings me to here. Describing myself..well, I'm not really sure how to go about it. Sorry, I know it's a simple task, and I should be able to do it, but I have trouble with it." Serizawa looked away, focusing his gaze on the beer can. He ran his thumb along the smooth surface, catching the water droplets from the condensation that trickled across his fingertips and dropping onto the counter below. For once, Reigen was at a loss of words for a few seconds before regaining his usual composure.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear about your rough home life, but good on you for deciding to do something for yourself. Plus, you're bound to be successful if you stick with me. I'll make sure you know all the tricks of the trade with the job. I can sense you're a..hard worker, aren't you? Dedicated."

"Well, yeah, I suppose I am. How did you know?" Finally, Serizawa looked over at him again, a sparkle starting in his eyes.

"Well, I don't..who am I kidding? I love to brag, and I may have been gifted with some psychic abilities. It's kind of a side business of mine." Reigen could already feel a bit of regret. Did he really have to drag the newbie into this after just getting to know him? It was more of a hobby really.

"R-really? I've never met someone who has abilities like that too." The last part was said in a low whisper like a secret he only wanted Reigen to know.

"Wait, what do you mean 'you too?' You're not trying to tell me you're psychic too, are you?" This guy couldn't be serious. He could tell Reigen wasn't actually psychic, right?

"Well..I don't know if I should tell you. It's something..it's the reason why I'm estranged by many in my hometown. I don't really like talking about it..if that's okay. I'm sorry."

"No, no, no, no, don't be sorry! It's not your fault! Hey, uh, how about we go for a little walk. There's a park nearby, and walking in the rain is a great way to chill out aside from the beers, you know? Then we can both go home." Geez, he definitely didn't want to make the guy feel bad. Maybe he shouldn't have brought up the psychic thing at all.

"I..I'd like that." Serizawa nodded and proceeded to finish up his beer.

Reigen silently breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed to do was alienate the guy right at the start. That wasn't his intention.

Serizawa went to grab their coats as Reigen was paying for the beers.

"And here's for the atmosphere as usual." He gave a wink and stuffed a few bills into the tip jar. As he turned to head towards the door, he noticed Serizawa holding up his coat.

"Here, Reigen, I'll help you with your coat. It's only courteous since this bar was your treat," he said with a warm smile that Reigen could've sworn was like a bright sun on this rainy night.

"I, uh, haha, ye-yeah thanks," was what he managed to say and was internally smacking himself in the head. The man was kind enough to help him with his coat after that awkward conversation and that's all he could muster? He turned around to hide the blush that was already forming on his cheeks and pushed his arms through the sleeves as Serizawa held the coat up. He supposed he should do the same for him but found Serizawa already had his coat on by the time he turned around.

"Hey, no fair. I should hold your coat up for you too," he said with crossed arms.

"How about you return the favor next time?" he chuckled which only left Reigen at a loss for words even more.

While still under the shelter of the umbrella, Reigen led them over to a small park on the other side of the street. Being rainy, it was mostly deserted besides a few people walking by. It was a drastic change of scenery from concrete and buildings to a gravel path lined with trees and benches. Under the trees, they at least had a bit more shelter from the rain, though they kept the umbrella out. The sound of rain hitting leaves filled the air and gave a softer sound. Reigen knew he had run his mouth a lot tonight already, so he kept himself quiet as they went for a stroll.

"You know, I should be the one saying sorry. I didn't mean to say something that brought up something painful about your past or where you came from, so I'm apologizing, and don't even try to discount it," Reigen finally said with the silence finally getting to him.

"Oh, it's alright, really. You didn't mean to. I guess I can just be overly sensitive or closed off sometimes. I don't mean to be. It's just how I am sometime. I know we just met, but I feel like you're not the type of person to just go spilling someone else's secret."

"Certainly not. I would never go stab someone in the back like that. That's just playing dirty," Reigen chuckled with a nod. "I think you'll find I'm really not all that complicated." Reigen glanced to his watch and sighed as he saw how late it was getting already. "Hate to cut this short, but I should probably be heading home. I have a full day tomorrow of training you after all."

"Well, thank you for taking me out and around town a bit, Reigen. We'll have to do this again soon, and I look forward to tomorrow." The rain was starting to let up some, becoming more of a light drizzle. "You can take my umbrella if you want. My place isn't too far from here."

"No, no, keep it. I'll be fine. Little water won't hurt me," he assured. He waved as he started to walk in the opposite direction. When he turned back to look at Serizawa once more, his breath caught in his throat as he noticed the umbrella was floating now, suspended right above his hand. He watched as Serizawa bowed, wearing a light smile on his face as he turned and walked toward the other street, leaving Reigen speechless under a street light.


End file.
